Stuck on the tarmac – and new rules in Cuba

Airline passengers in the states have just been given more rights if they are trapped in planes awaiting departure.  The airline now has to provide water, snacks and access to toilets as soon as passengers have been stranded for two hours from closing the doors.  If the delay reaches three hours the plane must return to the gate so the passengers can disembark.  The new rules have been introduced by the Department of Transportation in the wake of stories about passengers being stuck for hours without refreshments, sometimes with toilets overflowing.  The airline industry believes this is an overreaction and will make it difficult for them to operate as flexibly as they would like.  Some think that the three hour cut off will lead to more cancellations.

Meanwhile, Cuba has decided to require visitors to have travel insurance in place before entering the country.  It is surprising how many people ignore the advice of tour operators, travel agents and even their own governments and travel without covering the risk of medical emergencies and other problems abroad.  Will other countries follow suit?

If you are travelling many times in the year you should consider annual travel insurance which may save you money compared to buying single trip travel insurance each time you travel.